Power operated push bar log turner



' Snnentor r1000 Daabe/ Gttomeg I 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 26, 1953 J.DAUBEL POWER OPERATED PUSH BAR LOG TU NER Flled Aug 15 1949 J. DAUBELPOWER OPERATED PUSH BAR LOG TURNER May 26, 1953 Filed Au 15, 1949ZSnventor 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Ittomeg Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE POWER OPERATED PUSH BAR LOG TURNER John Daubel, Chattaroy,Wash.

Application August 15, 1949, Serial No. 110,347

The present invention relates to the general class of wood sawingincluding sawmill carriages, and more specifically to an improved poweroperated push bar log turner which while well adapted for variouspurposes and uses, is especially designed for coaction with a sawmillcarriage, and by means of which a log on the carriage is successivelyturned as the reciprocating carriage feeds the log longitudinally to thesaw and then retracts the log for another turn on its longitudinal axis.The log turning mechanism, which is disposed. at opposite sides of andtransversely with relation to the longitudinal axis of the carriage andlog, includes a manually set, power operated, and resiliently retractedpush bar, ram, or boom, for impingement against the upper portion of oneside of the log, that coacts with an opposed tripping slide-carrier forthe log located at the opposite side of the carriage and initiallyadapted to engage the lower portion of the log for tripping it. Theoperating mechanism for the push bar and the tripping slide-carrierinvolves a system of motor operated cables, under manual control, bymeans of which the log is turned and rolled from the carriage to thecarrier and deposited by the carrier in its new position onto thecarriage.

For this purpose the invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and combinations and arrangements of parts as willhereinafter be described and more particularly set forth in the appendedclaims. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a completeexample of a physical embodiment of my invention in which the parts arecombined and arranged in accord with one mode I have devised for thepractical application of the principles of my invention.

It will however be understood that changes and alterations arecontemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings andmechanical structures, within the scope of my claims, without departingfrom the principles of the invention.

Figure l is a plan view showing a sawmill carriage and the related logturning mechanism in which my invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the structures in Fig. 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of theslide carrier and its supporting frame.

In order that the general arrangement and utility of parts may readilybe understood I have shown a portion of a sawmill including a trestle 7Claims. (Cl. 14398) I that supports the track girders 2 and 3, and thegirders are equipped with a flat rail 4 and an inverted T-rail 5 for thereciprocating carriage 6 which is towed to and from the sawmill, or saw,by cables 1 and 8 in usual manner. The carriage is provided with a pairof flat wheels 9, and grooved wheels II] that prevent lateraldisplacement of the carriage; and four stanchions or upright posts IIare braced at [2, to hold the log L against lateral displacement on thecarriage.

As indicated in Fig. 2 a longitudinally extending slab has previouslybeen sawed from the log in the sawmill and the carriage has beenreturned to the turning mechanism with the log in position to be turnedclockwise so that its flat face will rest upon the carriage as the logis returned for another cut.

An attendant or operator stands upon a suitable platform for readyaccess to the manual controls, which include an overhead cable I3 andhandle I4, and the cable is passed around three guide pulleys or sheavesl5, and attached at IE to the underside of the push bar I! the free endof which is provided with a sharp claw or spike l8. By means of thehandle and the pull cable the push bar is pulled down from full lineposition to dotted position in Fig. 2 so that the push bar is set inoperative position with its pointed claw impinging against the upperportion of one side of the log.

The push bar is supported in floating position and it is fulcrumed at l9upon the upper end of an upright oscillatable post or rocking beam 20,the lower end of which is pivoted at 2| upon a base board or plate 22.For lifting upwardly the spike-end of the push bar an extension or leverarm 23 of the bar is connected by spring 24 and eyebolt 25 to thestationary base 22, and the push bar is resiliently retracted to upperinoperative position after each of its working strokes.

After manually setting the push bar against the log, motor-operatedmeans located at the opposite side of the sawmill carriage and the logare actuated to swing the oscillating or rocking post 2!! upon its pivot2! to activate the push bar, and after the working stroke the push barand the post are retracted rearwardly by means of a spring 26 thatconnects the post 20 with a fixed anchoring post 21 spaced from theoscillating post.

Power for the working stroke of the push bar is supplied from a motor28, which rotates a drum or winch 29 upon which a cable 30. is

wound and unwound, and the outer end of this cable is attached at 3! toa floating lever 32 that is connected by a second cable 33, and eyebolt34, to the oscillating post 20 at 35. Under manual control, as cable 30is wound upon the drum, the floating lever 32 is swung to dotted lineposition in Fig. 2, and the consequent pull on cable 33 activates thepush bar.

After the working stroke of the push bar the rotation of the drum isreversed so that the cable may unwind as the push bar is retracted undertension of springs 24 and 2B, and the motor and the winch are manuallycontrolled by an operator Or a member of the crew stationed at the powerplant.

Th swinging movement of the floating lever 32 to the right on theworking stroke of the push bar is limited by a safety chain 36 that iscoupled between eyebolt 34 and another eyebolt 3! mounted upon a fixedsupport, as the trestle I, and this floating lever is suspended at itsupper end from a horizontal sliding-carrier by a goose-neck yoke or arm38 of the lever which is pivoted at 3% in a bearing bracket 40. Thisbracket fit is rigidly mounted upon one side of the horizontal cross bar4| of the carrier, and the cross bar unites a pair of parallel laterallyspaced horizontal and metallic side bars or arms 42, 42 of the slidecarrier which is axially alined with the push bar and disposed at theside of the carriage opposite to the push bar.

At their rear ends these flat arms 32 are bent to form attaching flangesbolted to the cross bar 4!, and each arm is fashioned with anintermediate upset bend 43 that provides vertically spaced sections ofthe arms, and the front ends of the arms terminate in sharp claws orspikes M, initially located in the path of the lower portion of the logto provide means for tripping the log as it is turned by the push barand rolled over on the carrier, after which turning movement of the logit is deposited by the carrier upon the carriage.

In the turning or tripping of the log on its longitudinal axis, thespike-end it of the push bar I1 and the claws id of the laterally spacedarms 42 of the slide carrier, operate in different vertical planes aboveand below, respectively, the turning axis of the log.

. The somewhat U-shaped slide carrier is braced by diagonal braces as35, and the carrier is adapted to reciprocate in a plane perpendicularto the carriage while supported in a hinged and depressible frame theouter end of which is pivoted on a tubular cross bar 46 that is mountedin horizontal position in the upper ends of two spaced posts s? mountedadjacent the motor and its rotary cable drum 29.

This rectangular frame includes two side bars 48, the outer ends ofwhich are pivoted on the cross bar t6, and their inner ends are unitedby a cross bar :28 located adjacent to and parallel with the deck of thecarriage and above the trestle. The inner end of the depressible ortiltable supporting frame is adiustably supported for vertical movementfrom the trestle by means of two spaced sets of upright toggle links 50,il,"one set pivoted to and depending from each side of the supportingframe, and the lower ends of the lower links of the toggles are rigidlymounted upon a horizontal rock shaft 5i journaled in bearings 52 mountedon the trestle.

' The shaft 5i may be rocked by a hand lever 52' rigid with the shaft toelevate and lower the inner end of: the tiltable frame, and a pair ofspaced upright arms 53 are mounted on the inner end of the frame todepend in the path of movement of the two sets of toggles and therebylimit the off-center movement of the toggle links as the frame istilted.

For supporting, confining, and guiding the slide carrier in itsreciprocating movements in the depressible or tiltable frame, the latteris equipped with a pair of laterally spaced bottom bearing plates 53,54, mounted on the under sides of the side bars or beams 48, and theslide carrier reciprocates on these bearing plates. For confining thecarrier against upward displacement and retaining it in correcthorizontal position a pair of spaced grooved rollers 55 having ballbearings 56 on axles 5'! that are mounted in brackets 58 fastened to theopposite sides of the tilting frame are employed. These retainingrollers, supported near the inner ends of the bottom plates, permit theside bars or rails of the slide-carrier to slide on the plates as thegrooved rollers guide the rails, and the rollers hold-down the slidecarrier in operative position as it reciprocates.

For supporting and guiding the elevated front or inner ends of the slidecarrier, the rails glide over a pair of grooved wheels as 59, eachhaving a ball bearing as Ed on an axle 6i rigidly mounted in brackets 62fixed on the inner sides of the adjoining frame bars 48; and the crossbeam ll of the slide frame is resiliently connected to the floatinglever 32 by means of a retracting spring 63, which forms a flexible andresilient coupling between the power transfer lever and the carrier.

As the operating cable 30 pulls on the floating lever 32 the two pivotpoints 34 and 39 of the floating lever form fulcrums and the carrier isprojected to dotted position in Fig. 2 to perform the function oftripping the log as it is turned by the push bar and then rolled uponthe carrier to rest with its flat face on the elevated sections of therails 42. Then for transferring the log from the carrier back to thecarriage, the carrier continues its motion with the elevated sections ofrails 42 conveying the log over the carriage until it contacts theupright posts II. The hand lever 53 is then manipulated to break theoff-center toggle joints 50 as shaft 5| is rocked and the unsupportedinner end of the carrier is lowered allowing the log to lower fordeposit on the carriage with the flat face down.

The slide frame is retracted by means of a spring 55s that is anchoredto a post 65 located adjacent the power plant, and a cable 66, whichpasses around a sheave 6! carried at one end of the spring, is anchoredat one end to a bracket 68 rigidly mounted on the carrier, while theother end of the cable is anchored to a fixed support, as the trestle,at 69. The tilted frame is restored to horizontal position bymanipulation of the hand lever 53.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a power operated log turner for use with sawmill carriage, thecombination with a floating push bar for engaging the upper portion ofone side of the log on. the carriage, an alined and reciprocable carrierlocated at the opposite side of the log and adapted to engage the lowerportion of the log when shifted toward said log and to receive the logfrom the carriage, and a power operated cable system adapted to impart aworking stroke to the push bar, whereby the log is rolled from thecarriage onto the cartier, of a power-translating lever actuated by thecable system for reciprocating the carrier and thereby returning the logto the carriage, and separate resilient means for retracting the pushbar and the carrier to their initial positions.

2. In a power operated log-turner for use with a saw mill carriage, thecombination with a fixed base and an upright oscillatable post pivotedthereon, a power-operated pull cable attached to the front side of thepost, and a retracting spring having a fixed support attached to therear side of the post, of a push bar pivotally mounted on the post andretracting spring attached to the push bar for raising the free endthereof, and a manually operated setting cable having suitable guidesheaves for pulling down the push bar to operative position withrelation to a log on the carriage.

3. In a power-operated log turner for use with a sawmill carriage, thecombination with a fixed support and a spaced pair of posts having anelevated cross bar, a tiltable frame pivoted at one end on the cross barand flexibly supported at its other end on the support, and manuallyoperated means for tilting the frame, of a power operated slide carrierreciprocable on the frame, a power-translating lever pivoted on thecarrier for projecting the carrier toward a log on the carriage andresiliently connected to the lever,

a power-operated cable for swinging the lever to actuate the carrier,and resilient means for retracting the carrier from a log on thecarriage.

4. In a power operated log turner, the combination with a horizontallydisposed frame having a pivotal support at one end and a foldablesupport at its opposite end, and manually operated means associated withsaid foldable support for tilting the frame, of a slidable poweroperated carrier reciprocable on the frame and means for guiding thecarrier, power operated means for projecting the carrier in a directionaway from said pivotal support, and resilient means for retracting thecarrier toward said pivotal support.

5. In a power operated log turner, the combination with a horizontallydisposed frame having a pivotal support at one end, a foldable supportat its opposite end, and manually operated means associated with saidfoldable support for tilting the frame, of a slide carrier includingspaced side rails reciprocable on the frame, a pair of hold-down rollersjournaled on the frame 6 for the rails and a spaced pair of supportingrollers for the rails journaled on the frame, power-operated means forprojecting the carrier in a direction away from said pivotal support,and resilient means for retracting the carrier toward said pivotalsupport.

6. In a power operated log-turning mechanism for turning a log on a.sawmill carriage, the combination with a transversely disposedreciprocable carrier initially located at one side of the log on thecarriage and in position to engage the lower portion of said log whenprojected toward the log, a pivotally supported and depressible frame inwhich the carrier is movably supported, and manually operated means forraising and lowering the frame, of a push bar alined with the carrierand located at the opposite side of the log on the carriage and adaptedto engage the upper portion of said log, an oscillatable rocking beampivotally supporting said push bar, a power translating lever dependingfrom said carrier, a powered cable system connected to said powertranslating lever and said osoillatable rocking beam, whereby thecarrier and the push bar are shifted toward each other and resilientmeans for retracting said carrier and rocking beam to their initialpositions.

7. In a, power operated log turner the combination with a horizontallypivoted frame having a vertically movable forward end and means fortilting the frame, of a slide carrier reciprocable on the frame andguiding means therefor, power operated means for projecting the carriertoward the forward end of said frame, and retracting means secured tosaid carrier and adapted to return said carrier.

JOHN DAUBEL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 63,080 Newton Mar. 19, 1867 141,969 Van Vleck Aug. 19, 1873149,649 Gilbert Apr. 14, 1874 209,201 Tripp et a1. Oct. 2 1878 342,536Perkins May 25, 1886 788,243 Brown Apr. 25, 1905 932,217 Wilkinson Aug.24, 1909 973,423 Grabs Oct. 18, 1910 1,721,835 Schnell July 23, 19291,924,440 Klatt Aug. 29, 1933

